In the mind of a child of ten, the statement, "let them eat cake" could be an attempt to help. For someone that has never done without bread or cake, it offers a simplistic, but naive solution, to a problem not fully understood.

I didn't mean any harm by it either - I was just listening to some "stuff you missed in history class" podcasts last night and that was covered in one. Then this morning I see it mentioned, so I felt the urge to comment.